Metal spool



Feb. 14, 1939. K. G. ANDERSON METAL SPOOL Filed March 12, 193'? NVEINTOQ Xmz fa G. Mme @2190)? (i, V2.4 w m wvmp Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METAL SPOOL Knute G. Anderson, Rockford, lll., assignor to J. L. Clark Manufacturing 00., Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 12, 1937, Serial No. 130,453

3Claims.

r 10 such spools the procedure may be to form a long roll of the plaster on a suitable mandrel, cut the roll transversely into smaller rolls of predetermined width, slide the core into the severed small roll, and then secure the heads in place, or alternatively to place a series of cores on the mandrel before the large roll of plaster is formed and then proceed as described. In either case, it is impcrtant that the lengths of the cores should con: form exactly to the selected width of the small 10 rolls of tape.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of sheet metal spool in which the core is fashioned in such manner as to afford a structure to which the heads may be 35 readily attached but in which the over-all length is determined with nicety and exactitude.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal spool having a core member provided with strengthening and securing projections adjacent its ends which are of such character as not to interfere with the formation of a smooth longitudinal seam extending the full length of the core.

Another object of the invention is to provide a a novel form of sheet metal spool or reel which is strong and rugged in construction and which is economical to manufacture.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and' the features of novelty which characterize the inventon are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the invention a reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sheet metal spool or reel embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view along the line 2-2 of the spool shown in. Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the separable heads included in the spool shown in Fig. i.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the core 55 included in the spool shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view along the line 5-5 in Fig. 2.

For purposes of illustration, the invention has been exemplified as embodied in a sheet metal spool particularly adapted for use as a container 5 for adhesive tape or plaster although spools embodying the invention are adapted for a wide variety of other uses. Thespool illustrated comprises in general a tubular body i0 having heads Ii secured on opposite ends thereof by an imm proved construction hereinafter described in greater detail.

The core Hi is preferably formed from a generally rectangular ilatsheet of metal rolled or otherwise bent into tubular form. The adjacent edges of thesheet are secured together in the form of an interlocking double scam I! (Fig. 4) which extends the full length of the core. This elongated seam insures a strong rigid structure and the absence of internal raw edges prevents g injury to a user who places his finger within the core in unreeling the tape from the spool.

Each head I I is formed from a portion of sheet metal centrally apertured so as to form a flat ring or disk, the outer peripheral edges being curled as indicated at I! (Fig. 2) for finishing and strengthening purposes. The heads may be suitably lithographed or otherwise decorated for purposes of identifying the manufacturer or the like,

' this operation being performed before the heads are assembled on the ends of the 'core. Upon reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the heads II are provided with inwardly extending annular shoulders ll surrounding axially extending flanges or ring-shaped projections l5 adapted to be in- 85 serted into the adjacent ends of the core. The shoulder ll forms a convenient bearing surface for the end of the core.

Near each end the core I! is shaped to cooperate with the flanges I! on the heads II in order to secure the heads firmly in position on the ends of the core. In accordance with the present invention. a discontinuous strengthening and locking rib formed by a series of spaced inwardly extending projections is formed on the core l0 adjacent each end. In the particular construetion shown, these projections are'shown as indentatlons It. The spaced relation of the indentations and their small over-all dimensions make it possible to form the same by striking them out of the metal of the core without causing any flow of metal at its marginal edges and consequently, without altering the over-all length of the core. The length 'of the core may thus be accurately determined by the dimensions of g3 the strip of metal from which it is formed andan annular rib were used, the longitudinal seam in the core would have to be stopped short of the shoulder, thus lessening the strength of the core and leaving raw edges of metal exposed at the ends of the seam which might injure the user.

In the novel construction herein contemplated, the metal edges at the ends of the core seam are covered by the heads II.

In assembling the spool described above, the core Ill-is first fashioned in the form shown in Fig. 4. It may then be inserted in a preformed roll of tape or the like of corresponding width. Sheet metal heads of the form shown in Fig. 3 are then positioned on the ends of the core with the marginal edges of the core abutting against the shoulders I and with the flanges l5 extending within the body of the core.v The inserted annular flanges II are then bent into interlocking relation with the indentations V ii in the form best shown in Fig. 2. It will thus be seen that the resulting structure is strong andrigid and has 'a core of accurately dimensioned width.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in some detail for purposes of illustration, there is no intention to thereby limit the invention to this particular form but, on the other hand, the appended claims are intended tocover all modifications within the spirit and scope I claim as my invention:

1. A sheet metal spool adapted to receive convolutions of tape or the like of predetermined width comprising, a tubular sheet metal core of predetermined longitudinal length corresponding to the width of the tape or the like, a series of inwardly extending relatively small spaced projections struck out from said core adjacent one of the invention.

. end thereof, the spaced relation and dimensions of said projections permitting their formation without alteration in the length of said core, and

a disk-shaped head formed from a separate portion of sheet metal having a part arranged to abut against the end of said core without covering any portion or the exterior surface thereof and having an axially projecting annular portion bent within said core and over said inwardly extending projections in interengaging relation therewith and in the form of a smooth uninterrupted annular bead overlying said projections and covering the same to hold the head firmly in position.

2. A sheet metal spool comprising, a tubular core fashioned from a generally rectangular portion of sheet metal bent into cylindrical form, a discontinuous strengthening and locking rib formed by a series of spaced inwardlyextending indentations in said core adjacent one end thereof, the edges of said portion of sheet metal being secured together, in interlocking relation intermediate adjacent indentations whereby a smooth flat seam is provided extending the full length of said core, and a disk-shaped head formed from a separate portion of sheet metal and having an axially projecting smooth annular portion extending within one end of said core and secured in interlocking relation with said indentations and covering the inner ends thereof while leaving the outer surface of said core entirely free and unobstructed.

3. A sheet metal spool adapted to receive convolutions of tape or the like of predetermined width comprising, in combination, a tubular sheet metal core of predetermined length corresponding to the width of the tape or the like, a series of radially inwardly extending spaced indentations formed in said core adjacent one end thereof, and a disk shaped head formed from a separate portion of sheet metal and having a centrally located aperture therein registering with one end of said tubular core, said aperture being bordered by a smooth integral flange on said head extending axially inward within said core with the inner marginal edge thereof bent about the inner sides of said indentations in interlocking relation therewith, whereby said flange not only holds said head in position on said core but also forms a smooth and uninterrupted cover strip for said indentations.

' KNU'IE G. ANDERSON. 

